The use of local area networks has revolutionized the business environment allowing a client device, such as a personal computer employed by a user, to effectively communicate both with servers and other clients associated with the local area network. Pockets of information that were once basically isolated from one another may easily be shared and augmented throughout the network. Until recently, local area networks, consisting of connections that are hard-wired, have served user needs well. However, technological advances have allowed network users to become much more mobile thereby creating user connectivity and other network operational problems.
An extension of network connectivity allows users employing wireless devices access to the wired local area network by employing a wireless local area network. This may be accomplished, in one example, by using a wireless local area network that is based on the IEEE 802.11 standard, which is incorporated herein by reference. A basic technology of an IEEE 802.11 network employs an access point whose main function is to form a bridge between the wired and wireless local area networks. The access point is analogous to a base station used in cellular phone networks. When employed, all communications between a wireless client and a wired client go through the access point.
The IEEE 802.11 standard accommodates several wireless channel structures. In each case, the access point assigns a wireless channel to each wireless client for use while communicating with the wired local area network or with another wireless client associated with the access point. Unfortunately, the wireless channels afforded by the IEEE 802.11 standard are not unique or exclusive of wireless channels assigned to other wireless devices, such as 2.4 gigahertz portable telephones. Interference afforded by such devices has been identified as a major problem in the use and application of wireless local area networks based on the IEEE 802.11 and other standards. Such interference, unless mitigated in some manner, may reduce the reliability and effectiveness of a wireless local area network to the point of being unusable.
Accordingly, what is needed in the art is a way to effectively mitigate interference on a wireless channel of a wireless local area network that preferably does not require changes to the wireless client.